Email Writing Best Practices

We grew an email list from 0 to 500K subscribers in just 10 months. If I were starting from scratch today, here's exactly how I'd do it again: 1) Nail the Lead Magnet: The fastest way to grow your email list is by offering something valuable in exchange for an email. Think of it like this: people won't give up their email for nothing. Create something they can't ignore: a discount, exclusive content, or a tool they can’t find elsewhere. For us, offering free travel guides was a game-changer. 2) Optimize for Opt-Ins Everywhere: Your website, blog, and even social media accounts should work like opt-in machines. For example: - Add pop-ups and fly outs on key pages. - Place CTAs above the fold. - Use scroll-triggered modals when visitors are engaged. We tested endlessly, and this attention to detail paid off big. 3) Tap Into Paid Growth Early: Ads get a bad rep, but when done right, they’re a growth accelerant. We launched targeted ads promoting our lead magnet and built a funnel that turned traffic into email signups. Paid campaigns helped us scale fast while testing which offers resonated with our audience. 4) Partner with the Right People: Collaborations can grow your list faster than any single effort. Whether it’s co-branded giveaways, email swaps, or shoutouts, find brands or creators that share your target audience. A well-executed partnership will unlock exponential growth. One really unique thing we did: We bought a bunch of viral social accounts and rebranded them for our business. This was huge in kickstarting massive and sustainable growth. And we fast-tracked the social proof we needed to build trust and scale quickly. 5) Focus on Quality, Not Just Quantity: A big list is meaningless without engagement. From Day 1, we focused on high-value emails to ensure subscribers opened, clicked, and stayed. Here’s a pro tip: Consistency wins. Sending emails weekly or bi-weekly keeps your list warm and engaged. 6) Build a Content Machine: Pair email growth with an organic content strategy that feeds your funnel. Blog posts, social media, and SEO aren’t just good for traffic—they create trust. The more valuable content you share, the more people will want to hear from you. 7) Leverage Cheap Marketing Channels in Ways Others Haven’t: This is going to ruffle some feathers but we absolutely dominated cold email for user acquisition. To the tune of 6 figure subscriber acquisition. No one was doing cold email for B2C the way we did it. This proved to be the most scalable yet cheapest acquisition channel we had. — To recap: - Offer something valuable for free to grow your list. - Use every channel—paid and organic—to drive opt-ins. - Build relationships with partners who already have your audience. The result? A system that scales. Your list is the one asset you fully own—start building it ASAP!

Your event marketing emails aren’t converting …. because they all sound the same. “Unlock insights.” “Power your strategy.” “Join the future of innovation.” What does that even mean? Every event uses the same phrases. It’s generic. They all sound the same. And none of them give readers a reason to click. Or to care. Everything is too conceptual. Make your messaging more concrete. More actionable. Instead of: “A can’t-miss opportunity to network with top leaders.” Try: “Connect with 75+ product and marketing leaders from Salesforce, Figma, and HubSpot over coffee and curated roundtables.” Instead of: “Explore the future of AI-powered customer experiences.” Try: “See how Intercom used AI chat to reduce time to resolution by 13 minutes, then meet the team behind the playbook.” Use the picture test: If your reader can’t visualize what you’re offering, they won’t value it. Before you send your next event promo email, ask: - What exactly will they walk away with? - What speakers, companies, or experiences will they recognize? - What does this event let them do they can’t do elsewhere? Specificity sells. Vagueness doesn’t even get opened. Show them why this event matters. Not just that it exists. With our customers sending millions of emails through Accelevents each month, we get an eye into what's working. And what's not. Open your last invite email. If you wouldn’t RSVP based on it, your buyer won’t either. What's the highest converting subject line you've ever written?

Email still delivers strong ROI. What’s changed is how leading teams are using it. Here are 7 modern and practical email strategies you can use now and into 2026. 📩 1. AI-Driven Decisioning An example is “next best offer.” Use real-time, historical, and behavioral data to determine the most relevant content, offer, or CTA. Instead of sending the same message to everyone, tools like Movable Ink personalize content based on what users have or haven’t done. 📈 2. Product-Led Lifecycle Messaging Trigger emails based on what users do inside your product. If someone signs up but doesn’t activate, send a reminder. If they complete onboarding but skip a key feature, follow up. Email becomes part of the product experience. 🧱 3. Modular Templates + Guard Rails Stop building emails from scratch. Modular templates let teams assemble emails using approved, no-code blocks. Platforms like Knak help you move faster while staying on brand and rendering correctly across devices. 👁️🗨️ 4. Inbox Retargeting & Re-engagement If someone opens and scrolls but doesn’t click, you can adjust the next email. These behavioral signals help guide follow-ups. A scrolled-but-no-click email may call for a stronger CTA or tighter copy. 🧪 5. Automated Experimentation Go beyond A/B tests. Today’s tools can test dozens or even hundreds of variations at once, subject lines, images, layouts, and more. Platforms like OfferFit by Braze optimize automatically to drive better performance. ⏱ 6. Real-Time Triggers Send the right message the moment someone takes action, like signing up or abandoning a cart. It only works if your data flows smoothly and your systems are well-integrated, but the results are worth the effort. 💰 7. Revenue-Based Measurement Connect email to pipeline and revenue. If your data and attribution are in place, you can measure how nurture programs or product launches actually impact the business. Which do you think is most effective? What would you add? PS: Be sure to check out Knak to scale your email efforts, link in the comments. via Nick Donaldson #marketing #martech #marketingoperations #email

Segmentation beats personalization. Personalization is terribly inefficient... (and oftentimes unnecessary outside of highly strategic enterprise selling). Think about the ads that really grab your attention. None of them have your name in them. Or mention podcasts you were interviewed in or posts that you wrote. These ads work because they're segmented based on patterns amongst small-ish groups of people. Outbound should be treated similarly. Pro tip: this approach works WAY better over the phone than via email. The expectation for personalization and quality is much higher in emails than over the phone. Here are a few ideas for segmenting your lists so you don't have to personalize so much: ✅ By region/location If you sell anything brick & mortar, SLED, etc—segment your accounts by geographic region. You really don't have to personalize much when you can: - Name-drop local businesses/organizations - Drop the location This sounds like: "Hi David, we work with Fit & Fashion right down the road in SLU. It's Jason with ________. Ring a bell?" ✅ By tech stack Let's say you sell a tool that enhances Salesforce. Or Jira. Or some other specific tool. Segment your accounts by tech stack. This sounds like: "Hi Katie, we're partnering with engineering teams who wish sandboxes were way easier to set up and use in Zendesk. It's Jason with ________. Got a min?" ✅ By persona Let's say you sell to ecomm solutions to SMB retail business owners. This sounds like: "Hi Tom, we're working with several retailers in the Seattle area. It's Jason with ________. Heard our name tossed around?" (H/T Armand Farrokh) ✅ By trigger This list gets pretty extensive. Hiring, job changes, customer/champion change, M&A, expansion/contraction, promotion, etc This sounds like: "Hi Dave, congrats on the promotion. It's Jason from __________. Was just talking to a new HR leader yesterday who's running into all kinds of complications scaling international hiring. That by chance something you're running into?" ✅ By niche One of my favorites. Take a well-recognized logo like Rippling. You could go after direct competitors, but it's even better to focus on non-competitive products selling to the same personas. This sounds like: "Hi Cierra, we're working with Rippling to help scale their product suite for HR leaders. It's Jason with ________. Thought you might want to hear how they've doubled ACV in the last 6 months. Have a min?" ~~~ Before you think of personalization, start with segmentation. Do the work upfront to avoid having to customize too much. Agree or disagree? We're training entire sales orgs at companies like Shopify, Rippling, Zoom, and many more on how to land more meetings with outbound. Interested in custom training for your team? DM or email me jason [at] outboundsquad.com for more info.

NEVER start an email with “hope you are well” 🙄 **especially if it’s a cold email. “Hope you are well” is the fastest way to blend in and stay ignored. 🎯 Glenn Kramon, a beloved Stanford lecturer and former New York Times editor of 35 years, shared this advice: ❌ Skip the generic pleasantries. ✍🏻DO YOUR RESEARCH✍🏻 ✅ Start with something specific and personal. Mention a recent article, talk, or project of theirs that inspired you. Reference mutual connections or shared interests. 💡 Example: Instead of: “Hope you’re well. I’d love to connect to learn more about your work.” Try: “I just read your piece on [topic], and the part about [specific insight] struck a chord. I’m working on [related project/idea] and would love your thoughts on [specific question].” Even better? “[Mutual connection that means something to them] suggested I speak with you.” A few extra tips: 1️⃣ Keep it concise—your email should fit on one screen. Imagine they’re reading on their phone. 2️⃣ Have a clear ask, whether it’s advice, a quick call, or feedback. 3️⃣ Close with gratitude and confidence. You MAY write “Hope you are well” at the end if you have to. In a world of endless inboxes, the personal touch matters more than ever. Thanks to Glenn Kramon for this timeless advice. You can find our podcast episode together on YouTube. How do you make your cold emails stand out? Share your tips below! 👇 #emailtips #writing

Time of day & day of week can have a big impact on open rates. Simply picking the right timing can give you a pretty meaningful boost on your sourcing efforts. Interestingly, our latest benchmarks show that Sunday specifically at 8pm, 6pm, and 11am all tend to perform quite well. Did you know that it varies pretty dramatically by role though?  - 💻  Engineering: Noon & 8pm on Sundays → highest open rates    - 📣 ‎ Marketing: 6pm & 8pm on Sundays → highest open rates    - 💰 ‎Sales: 5pm Sunday & 6pm Thursday → highest open rates    - 🔍 Recruiting & HR: 6am Wednesday → highest open rates As a best practice, always good to be A/B testing and figuring out what works best for your specific role/company. Especially since this sort of stuff changes every 1-2 years. One of the reasons being… as more recruiting, marketing, and sales emails all gravitate towards the new best send times, people’s inboxes start to get saturated then 😆 ‎

Long, complex emails don’t make me think you're smart. They tell me you don't understand basic buyer behavior. Your prospects aren’t reading your sales emails. They’re skimming. They’re standing in line at Starbucks, cleaning out their inbox. They’re looking for a reason to delete, not to reply. If your email doesn’t pass the 1, 10, 100 test - it’s getting ignored I teach this framework to every sales team I work with. It’s simple and it works. Here’s how to apply it: 1 = One clear call to action Do not ask for a meeting, feedback, interest, and availability in the same message. You get one ask. Make it count. 10 = The first 10 words must earn attention This is your subject line + preview text. It’s the only thing your prospect sees before deciding to open or delete. If those 10 words don’t create curiosity or show relevance, it’s over. 100 = Keep your total word count under 100 The average exec scans an email for 3–4 seconds. If they can't get context immediately, your email is an auto-delete. Make it short. Make it relevant. Make it easy to reply. The 1, 10, 100 Rule isn’t about oversimplifying your message. It’s about respecting how buyer's interact with cold email so you can deliver more value and earn more engagement. 📌 Remember RELEVANCE is essential. Don't think a well-formatted email replaces the need to say something that matters to the reader. ✨ Enjoyed this post? Make sure to hit FOLLOW for daily posts about B2B sales, leadership, entrepreneurship and mindset.

You can’t “prompt” your way out of bad targeting. Yes, AI is great, personalizing Cold Emails is awesome 🔥   But there’s a better hack:   Break your list into smaller targets.   Let me tell you a story 👇   A few months ago a client came to us asking to target: “Ecommerce founders.” That was the whole brief.   So, what do you do?   You ask questions. For example:   → Shopify or Amazon? → Fashion or supplements? → Funded or bootstrapped? → Do they grow through paid ads or organically? → Who’s handling growth?   Then you build the list:   → Shopify brands → Selling skincare → Based in the EU → Running Meta ads → Hiring but no Head of Growth → Founder posts 3x/week on LinkedIn   Now your Cold Email doesn’t need a clever opener. It’s already relevant.   This is how we build Outbound at SalesCaptain. We don’t stop at “industry.” We segment by:   📦 Category → Not just HR software → but compensation platforms, 100–300 headcount, scaling in LATAM, using Gusto   📡 Signal → Not just “growing teams” → Teams hiring SDRs, posting on LinkedIn, with no RevOps function in place   We use AI, but not to fake relevance. We use it to find signals that show who’s actually in-market.   Because in 2025: Signals > prompts Context > copy   The broader the list, the harder the message has to work. Shrink the list. Sharpen the context. Let relevance do the work. Have a nice weekend.   #b2bsales #coldemail #leadgen #gtm #personaliztion #aiinsales

We’re looking to scale out our webinar program this year. It’s been a really good source of high-quality leads for us. The problem is I used to spend way too many hours building out webinar registration pages, promo emails, and social posts. We’re a lean team and I only have so much bandwidth—so I built an AI workflow that cuts production time by about 90%. IMPORTANT NOTE: The key to this whole thing is the quality of your human-written content brief—it determines everything downstream. Most people try to shortcut the brief and end up with generic, junky AI content. Here's what actually works: 1. Start with a killer content brief that includes: - Core webinar value props and specific audience pain points - Speaker credentials that actually matter - Key learning outcomes with concrete examples - Technical depth and complexity level - Brand voice requirements and list of AI “no-no” words 2. Feed that quality brief into strategic prompts for: - High-converting registration page - 4-email promo sequence (2 weeks, 1 week, 3 days, 24hrs) - Post-event follow up emails for attendees, registrants, and non-registrants - LinkedIn posts engineered for engagement - Asset consistency guidelines AI handles content scaling and variations, but only after you've built the strategic foundation. Been testing this for months—the correlation between brief quality and output is nearly 1:1. Rushed brief = generic AI content. Detailed brief = compelling assets that drive registrations. The workflow includes specific prompts for maintaining voice consistency, building credibility through concrete benefits, and avoiding the typical AI content red flags that kill engagement. 🔗 Want the exact process? Grab the complete workflow with brief templates, prompts, and implementation steps in the comments below. [No need to comment “workflow” for the asset. That’s lame.) Running webinar campaigns with AI right now? Drop your questions below. Always testing new approaches to refine this process. P.S: Track your brief quality scores against registration rates. The data will show you exactly where your brief needs more detail. #AI #Marketing

The most profitable email you can send post-launch isn’t a sales email. It’s a survey. Let me explain: After your product launch, your warm leads are still engaged... So, why not use that interest to learn why they didn’t buy? Instead of sending another generic follow-up email, hit them with a simple survey that uncovers the real reasons behind their decision. Now, let's talk about the survey. Please do NOT send people a Google form link with 5 long, open-ended questions. (Nobody has time for that!) Instead, ask them just ONE question: "Why didn't you buy?" Then, set everything up so people can "answer" the survey by just clicking a link inside your email. See this post's image for an example. "But Daniel, what do I do with this data?" Glad you asked! There's 2 main ways you can leverage it: 1/ You can analyze all the responses you get & look for patterns. Then, you can use those takeaways to: • Refine your offer • Build an abandoned cart flow that address all these objections 2/ You could also follow-up with people who complete the survey & try to win the sale. (Obviously, this would depend on the reason why they didn't join.) So, there you have it! Use this tactic in your next launch to learn from your subscribers. Then, use your learnings to: • Improve your offer • Build new email marketing systems • And boost your sales the next time around P.S. Found this helpful? Gimme a follow so you don't keep missing out on my daily email marketing tips.